The butterflies are here! Couple helps prepare the way

Published 7:00 pm, Saturday, February 26, 2005

Most people dont know what a chrysalis is, let alone what to do with it. But the Chaussees knows a lot about chrysalises and butterflies.

By Kris Winterton

Daily News photos/RYAN WOOD

Volunteers Maynard and Judy Chaussee prepare chrysalises to be pinned and placed in an emergence case at Dow Gardens. In the upcoming weeks, butterflies will emerge from the chrysalises that have been ordered for the annual "Butterflies in Bloom" event.

Most people dont know what a chrysalis is, let alone what to do with it. But the Chaussees knows a lot about chrysalises and butterflies.

Judy taught at Trinity Lutheran Preschool for 15 years, retired in 2001, and now is a community volunteer who loves what shes doing.

She especially enjoys her work at the Dow Gardens, as she has always enjoyed nature. One of her favorite times of year is March and April, when she helps with the annual butterfly exhibit at the gardens.

"Judy is one of the volunteers who pins the chrysalises," said Doug Chapman, director of the Dow Gardens. "They have to be pinned correctly, so the butterflies dont get injured when they emerge. We rely on her skill with the butterflies. She does things here all year  helps with the Christmas Walk and the Childrens Garden."

A chrysalis is one of the four stages in a butterflys life cycle. First, an adult butterfly lays an egg. In stage two, the egg hatches into a caterpillar, or larva. Stage three is the one in which the caterpillar forms a chrysalis or pupa. And finally, in stage four, the chrysalis matures into a butterfly. From chrysalis to butterfly usually takes about two weeks, Chaussee said.

On Tuesday when the first shipment of chrysalises arrived from Florida, Judy and Maynard came to help prepare them. They got an unexpected surprise when one of the butterflies started to emerge.

"Theyre all at different stages, so we have no way of knowing when a chrysalis was formed," Judy said. "That particular chrysalis must have formed about two weeks ago, and the butterfly was ready to emerge."

There were several varieties in that first shipment: zebra longwings, Southern whites, buckeyes, and painted ladies. "There may have been some Julias, too," Judy said. We did about 150 chrysalises. They expect four more boxes to arrive this week."

Volunteers Judy Chaussee and her husband Maynard work with butterfly chrysalises.

Dow Gardens personnel call qualified volunteers to come over and help with chrysalis pinning whenever shipments arrive. They come from several suppliers in Florida.

"I love doing it because its hands-on," Judy said. "If they have a bit of silk still attached to them, its easier to pin. If not, we glue a bit of cotton onto them. Most of them make it and emerge as butterflies."

La Forest said nearly 4,000 butterflies are expected to be part of this years exhibit, which runs from March 7 to April 22. The exhibit is in its eighth year and has had an extended run the past two years. Previously, it ran for about a month, said La Forest.

Judy and her colleague at the preschool, Betty Mead, used to do a butterfly unit every year. The two of them went out searching for caterpillars together.

"Betty showed me where to find them at Gordonville and Poseyville roads," Judy said. "Monarch butterflies feed on milkweed, and Betty knew where to find them."

Different kinds of butterflies feed on different plants, Judy said. "The first caterpillar I ever found was on a parsley plant near our driveway," she said. "Maynard knew what it was. We put it in an aquarium and fed it parsley and finally it emerged into a swallowtail butterfly."

The childrens garden at Dow Gardens has a "Growin Gardener" program that Judy loves to help with. Judy volunteered with the program once a week last summer and expects to do the same this year.

"I answer questions, help with a craft, read a story, help Becky (Dyer) with duties," she said. "Children will ask, Is this a weed? or What will this grow into? Its fun because kids can have their own little plot of ground. They choose what to plant, take care of and water the plants, and take home whatever they grow. They come with a parent each time, so its a good family project. All of the seeds and plants are furnished for them  vegetables and some flowers."

For more information about Dow Gardens programs, call 631-2677 or visit www.dowgardens.org.